Reenforced d-handle



is inserted each other,

-to so construct and apply Patented Jan. 30, 1923.

GEORGE W. BENTON, OF CONNEAUT, 11"

anrmroacnn n-mnnnn.

Application tiled November 29, 1922. Serial No. 8%,V

To all whom 'it may camera: j

Beit known that'I, GEORGE W. BENTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Conneaut, in the county of Ashtabula and State 'of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reenforc'ed D-Handles,

4of which the y:following isa specification.

relates to Dhandles for more This invention shovels spades'and other tools, and particularl to reinforcing capsltobe ap'- tiie upper portions and the en s plied to respectiv'elly of the respective arms and ripbar of a' -handle consisting' of a ha or stem having diverging arms' at its upper end, between the upper portions .of lwhich arms a grip bar. Y The principal objects of this invention are to provide a reinforcement for a handle of this type which, in addition-to the usual function of protecting the portions of the handle which might become loose, worn or broken, due to rough usage, vide simple means positively penetrating into the. material oi' the stantially equi-distant points from the axisof preferably being of such material and of such construction as to have a sti resilient action to prevent rotation, partial or complete of the grip-bar about its axis; said reinforcing means or caps to the upper portions of the arms ot said handle as to provide for eachv arm a closed or endless band tightly embracing each said respective arm, greatly re-` inforciii each of said arms and tightly holding its fibres together to guard against the splitting of said arm when vthe tie-rod or rivet is applied and later during conditions of use, and also curing or'rendering unobjectionable those splits, caused by process of manufacture in bending, that are near the upper ends of the respect-ive. arms, such splits being in planes substantially .parallel to the inner faces of said arms.

A furtherobject is to provide a combination of the stem, arms, grip and reinforcing means whereby said reinforcing means will tend continuously during use to torce the portions of said arms immediately below the grip-bar in opposite directionsaavay from and to also provide .such a combination whereby greater room may be provided in the opening or eye of the D-handle to accommodate a nrans fingers inserted therein or therethrough without serious risk will also p rogrip bar at sub1` the usual tie-rod or rivet, and

of splitting the end portions of the arms when the tire-rod or rivet is appiied and :whereby all other usual securingnieans penef -trating these arms are eliminated and-substituted by a secerement means, preferably an endless band, snugly embracing said arms on both their respective inside and outside faces. Experience in the manufacture of D- ha-ndle tools having the above mentioned elements, but having simply reinforcing caps or elements not having the embracing por tion or endless encircling bands for the arms lhas demonstrated that when'these arms'are forced apart the wood is put under stress, which increases as the distance 4ci sep/eration of the arms is increased, and that the greater the degree of stress the greater is the Vtendency of the niaterialo each' arm to split from' its upper end downward during the bending and settin or dr ing operation and also when the usuait usual penetrating fastening means are applied, whereas the provision of the endless reinforcing gripping band tightly applied to the upper portion of each arm squeezes the fibres of each armA tightly together and prevents splittin during 'assembly even though the arms e put under greater stress than usual d iie to being spread to a greater degree than usual to forni a wider D-handle than usual, and of course such bands would 'hold the fibresof said arms tigitly together even though said ibres might e split apart near the upper part of said arms respectively during the bending and setting or drying operation or may be split apart in a plane substantiall at right angles to the inner faces of ysaid arms due to exceptional conditions of use or ill-treatment and so would, as

a-practical matter, neutralize any otherwise injurious effects such as would otherwise attend such av split.

Further objects are to provide a' preferably integral reinio'rcinoelement for each ie-ro or rivet and other y Figure 3, a sectional view on, the line 5%3 of Fig. l?. looking in the direction of the arrows;

'igure Il a View on the line 1 -i of `Fig. ooilng in the direction of the arrows; Figure 5, a view on the line 5-5 of Fig. .looking in the directionof the Iarrows 2 only, ail other elements being omitand l o, a plan view of the plank from n" nt illustratedis formed.

Referring now in detail to thcv drawings, :i indicates the wooden haft or stem of the shovel or like handle having its upper end bifurcated and tapered tg form two taperarnis which are forced apart or spread to form a fork, the usual Stop-rivet C being applied through the stem A just below the beginning of the bifurcation to prevent tl e stem A from splitting. The usual grip-bar E is inserted between the upper ends of the arms B, and is secured in piace by means of the usual tie-rod or rivet F and the cooperating lips or flanges of the cupped portions l of the respective reinforcing elements applied to the respective upper end portions of the respective arms B and the respective end portions of the bar E. The tie-rod or rivet F passes'through said arms B, the portions l of the respective reinforceznentV .means and through the approximately longitudinal central portion of the grip-har Rand has its extreme end portions upset or riveted over against the outer of theadjacent portions of the portions l of the respective reinforcing means. ln this connection it is to be noted that it is desirable that the above mentioned parte he forced asclosely together as practicable, and that the tie-rod or rivet F be riveted over or upset to such extent as to hold the parte in such relation whereby not only will a good tight handleresult, but also the upper portions of thel respective reinforcing rneans will be rocked over on the edges of the hooks or lugs which act as a fulcrnrn for said upper portions l and will he held against any further possible rocking motion, resulting in the unimpeded outward pressure of the lower portions of the respective reinforcing means against the ,inner faces of the respective arms il, greatly bracing and reinforcing the handle as a whole during use and preventing the arms l); from losing their shape when damp.'

Each of the reinforcing' elements consists of three portions, first. a perforated cupped upper portion i receiving the tie-rod or rivet l@ in its perforation and fitting over and protecting the upper tapering end of its respective arm B and with its lip or flange fitting over the top and side portions of the adjacent end of the bar E and has,

involving the grip-bar and hooks orY :h the reinforcing meansV of the embodi extending from its lip or flange portion, yat each end thereof, on a sharp but full are, an anchoring tongue, spur or hook 2, which is located in a recess in the end of the grip-` bar, said recess extending inward from the side surface. T he hooks 2 anchor the gripbar against rotation, the flange and two opposed arcuate spurs, hooks or tongues 2 preferably being all integral as shown and constituting a unitary part, which may be stilily resilient and which efi'ectually resists rotation ofthe grip bar E in either direction; second, a stiff resilient reinforcing strip 3 slightly curved transversely to reinforce it in a lateral direction, and also to permit it to tit snugly against the side ofv its arm B for its full area and extending down along the side of its arm B for a considerable distance and, in applied relation,

meeting point of the ends being indicatedl by a dotted line in Figure. 3, and the fact of welding being illustrated by a Slight thickening of the material of the` straight portion of the band in, Fig. 4. 0f course any other suitable manner of permanently connecting these ends will do.

ln assembled relation the arcuate hooks or spurs 2 will be presented edgewise to the respective ends of the grip-bar and will tit into correspondingly shaped arcuate recesses in the respective ends of the grip-bar so as to have engagement'with all the walls thereof to guard against possible deformation of the hooks or -lugs 2 under stress. The said recesses are of less depth than the width of the respective hooks or lugs 2 which will extend slightly beyond the respective ends of the grip-bar, see Fig. 5, and

will constitute fulcrum points on which theV relnforccment means will be rocked as the tie-rod or rivet F is applied and upset, such operation results in 'permanently holding the upper portions l'tightly toward each other while yputting respective strips 3 under strong pressure tending to throw the respective bands 4 out 'a1-d. The above construction also results in gripping the portion of thc arm between said lugs 2 and the opposed portions of the respective caps portionsi between said elements.

'lhe respective end portions of the'bar E will be of slightly reduced diameter as usual so that the outer surfaceiof the flange or lip of the cupped portion l of each reinforcement element will lie flush with the surface los of the adjacent portion of the bar E, which may be either straight, as shown, or of any usual shape.

Having thus described my invent1on, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A metallic reinforcement for a D- handle comprising a cap-portion fitting over the upper end portion and adjacent side portions of one of the arms of said handle and over the top and side portions of the adjacent end portion of the transverse gripbar of said handle, and having an integral lng penetrating into the material of said grip-bar Afrom its cylindrical surface to-y ward its axis.

2. A metallic reinforcement for va D- handle comprising a cap ortion fitting over the upper end portion an adjacent side portions of one of the arms of said handle and having a flange extending over and embracing the top and side portions of the adja cent end portion of the transverse grip-bar of said handle, the end portions of said flange being bent to form penetrating lugs extending in a general radial direction and adapted to penetrate the material of' said grip-bar.

3. A metallic reinforcement for a D- handle comprising a cap, an endless band adapted to be applied tightly to anarm of the D-handle, and a strip connecting said cap and said band.

4. A metallic reinforcement for a D- handle comprising a cap adapted to fit over Y and snugly receive the upper end and adjacent side portions of one of the arms of said handle, an endless band adapted to be driven tightly onto said arm to bind the fibres thereof tightly, together, and a strip connecting said cap and said band, said cap, band and strip all being integral.

A D-handle comprising-a wooden stem having rlivergingsarms and a grip-bar inserted therebetween, and a metallic reinforcement for each arm comprising a lower portion extending across the outerface of its respective arm and around against the innerl face thereof at a point distant from said grip-bar, a perforated portion receiving in its perforation the respective end portion of the usual tie rod, and a stiff i, esilient strip connecting the two forego-v 4ng portions, whereby the lower portion a stiff resilient strip connecting the two foregoing portions, whereby the `lower portion in assembled relation is caused to eX- ert an outward pressure against the Iinner face of that portion of the arm whlche' it engages. Y

7. A metallic reinforcement for aA D- handle comprising a cap-portion fitting over the upper end portion and adjacent sidev portions of one of the arms of said handle and having a iiange extending over and embracing thetop and side portions of the adjacent end portion of the transverse gripbar of said handle, the end portions of said flange being bent to form sharp full.4

arcuate. hooks opposing each other in action and fitting into corresponding size and shape recesses formed 'in the respective ends of the grip-bar and extending from the outer side surface thereof inward in a general direction toward the axis thereof.

8. A D-handle comprising a wooden stem having diverging arms, a grip-bar inserted therebetween, a t1e-rod passing through said arms and grip-bar to hold them in assembled relation, and a metallic reinforcement for each arm comprising a lower portion in the form of an endless band snugly fitting around its respective arm at a point distant from said grip-bar, a perforated portion receiving in its perforation the -respective end portion of the usual tie rod and provided with anchoring means fitting into corresponding shaped recesses in the ends of the grip-bar and wider than the depth of said recesses whereby they will extend beyond the ends of the grip-bar and have compressive non-'penetrating engagement with the adjacent portion of the inner faces oflthe respective arms to grip the said portion of said arms -between said means and the opposed portion vof the reinforcement means respectively, and a stiff resilient strip connecting the two foregoing portions, the said tie-rod being upset to such degree as to draw the perforated portions of the respective reinforcing elements tightly' against the upper ends of the respectivev arms, rocking Said perf'othrowing the bands laterally outward away' from each other.

GE RG-E VJ. BENTON. 

